Vacuum pump

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a vacuum pump, in particular a vane cell pump, having a housing in which a suction space is provided, and a housing passage opening into the suction space, wherein a suction non-return valve opening to the outside or into an external vacuum space is arranged in the housing passage, said valve being accommodated in a pot-shaped housing, the pot-shaped housing having a housing bottom and a housing jacket, wherein the housing bottom is integral with the housing jacket.

The invention relates to a vacuum pump, in particular a vane cell pump, having a pump housing in which a suction space is provided, and a pump housing passage opening into the suction space, wherein a suction non-return valve opening to the outside or into an external vacuum space is arranged in the pump housing passage, said valve being accommodated in a pot-shaped valve housing, and the pot-shaped valve housing having a housing bottom and a housing jacket.

WO 2008/009251 A1 discloses a vacuum pump with such a configuration. With this vacuum pump, air is suctioned out of a vacuum space, for example, from a brake booster, wherein the suction space is formed within the vacuum pump by vane cells. To prevent back-flow, the vacuum pump is equipped with a suction non-return valve that is arranged in a pump housing passage. This suction non-return valve is constituted as a sleeve and has a pot-shaped valve housing with a housing jacket and a housing bottom, wherein the housing bottom is inserted into the pump housing of the vacuum pump. A vacuum tube, for example, is pushed onto the free end of the suction non-return valve that protrudes beyond the pump housing of the vacuum pump. The suction non-return valve is sealed in the pump housing passage, for example, with sealing elements, for example, O-rings. In the conventional vacuum pump described above, a holding body is inserted into the housing jacket of the suction non-return valve, which is used to hold the valve body.

It is considered disadvantageous that the suction non-return valve, in particular its valve housing, is constituted from multiple parts, and that the valve body is fastened to a separate component, that is, the holding body. This makes fast and simple, in particular, automated assembly more difficult.

The object of this invention is therefore to provide a vacuum pump, in particular, a suction non-return valve, that has a simpler design.

This task is inventively solved with a vacuum pump of the type described in the introduction in such a way that the housing bottom is integral with the housing jacket of the suction non-return valve.

The invention therefore relates to a vacuum pump or a suction non-return valve in which the housing bottom is constituted not as a separate component, in particular, as a holding body for the valve body, but is integral with the housing jacket. The housing bottom no longer has to be inserted into the housing jacket in the correct position during assembly. Moreover, the housing bottom formed integrally with the housing jacket constitutes a defined holding element for the valve body, so that the latter can be in a defined and precise position. Unlike prior art, a holding body no longer has to be held in position by the valve body. Simple, automated assembly is therefore possible in a straight forward manner because the valve housing of the suction non-return valve merely has to be equipped with the valve body: the valve body merely has to be inserted into the valve housing.

To ensure exact positioning of the valve body, the housing bottom of the valve housing has a mounting location for a holding section of the valve body. The holding section of the valve body is attached to the mounting location in such a way that the valve body is securely seated on the housing bottom while ensuring that the valve body can fully close the valve openings incorporated in the housing bottom or can open them during suction operation.

In a preferred embodiment, the mounting location is constituted as a passage. As a result, the mounting location can penetrate right through the housing bottom, which has the advantage that the mounting location can be manufactured quite easily, for example, in the form of a drill-hole. Moreover, this also facilitates assembly, because the holding section merely has to be inserted or plugged into the mounting location.

In a relatively simple and therefore preferred variant, the mounting location exhibits a hollow cylindrical, in particular, a regular cylindrical cross-section. The mounting location is formed, for example, by a drill-hole or punched hole, into which a pin- or bump-like holding section, which also has a cylindrical cross-section, can be inserted or plugged. The pin does not latch into the mounting location.

Since the mounting location according to the invention is constituted without undercuts, it can be automatically assembled in a simple way without latch connections or latches having to be formed between the mounting location and the valve body.

The valve body preferably comprises an elastic, in particular, rubber-elastic material, so that it can be seated tightly against the openings in the housing bottom and seal them. It is also conceivable to manufacture the valve body from spring steel, possibly with a coating to provide the sealing element.

In a further embodiment, the floor of the pot-shaped valve housing has an edge that extends the housing jacket beyond the housing bottom and a holding disk that is pressed into the intermediate space formed by the edge that protrudes beyond the housing bottom. The holding disk, which also has openings through it, forms a locking element, which retains the valve element on the housing floor. The holding disk is simply mounted by pressing it into the intermediate space that is surrounded by the edge so that it is securely retained. The holding disk is slightly overdimensioned and is deformed and clamped when it is pressed into the intermediate space.

The valve element is disposed between the housing bottom and the holding disk and is held by the holding disk on the housing bottom. In so doing, the holding disk presses the holding section into the mounting location of the housing floor and thus fixes the valve element.

Further advantages, characteristics and details of the invention can be derived from the dependent claims and the following description which, with reference to the drawing, describes an especially preferred embodiment detail. The characteristics represented in the drawing and mentioned in the description and in the claims can be essential to the invention both individually or in any combination.

The figures show:

FIG. 1, a longitudinal section I-I according to FIG. 3 through a suction non-return valve, which is inserted in the housing of a vacuum pump, which is not depicted in its entirety;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the valve according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a view in the direction of arrow III according to FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 shows a view in the direction of arrow IV according to FIG. 2.

FIG. 1 shows a section of a pump housing, not depicted in its entirely, collectively designated 10, of a vacuum pump 12, wherein the internal circumferential surface of a suction space 16 is designated 14. A channel 18 of a pump housing passage 20 that opens to the outside 22 opens into this suction space 16. A suction non-return valve 24 is inserted in this pump housing passage 20; a suction tube (not depicted) can be pushed onto its free end 26. The suction non-return valve 24 depicted in longitudinal section comprises a valve housing 28, which is pot-shaped and essentially comprises a housing jacket 30 and a housing bottom 32. The housing jacket 30 extends beyond the housing bottom 32 to form an edge 34, which extends beyond the housing bottom 32 on its opposite side. To ensure that the suction non-return valve 24 is held in the pump housing passage 20 in a fluid-tight manner, the valve housing 28 is provided with a circumferential groove 36 into which a sealing ring 38, in particular, an O-ring, is inserted.

The housing bottom 32, which is also depicted in FIG. 3, is provided with passages 40, which permit the air to pass through them toward the suction space 16. These passages 40 are covered by an elastic valve body 42 on the side of the housing bottom 32 facing the suction space 16, so that air can only flow toward the suction space 16 when the valve body 42 is raised and uncovers the passages 40. The valve body 42 is rotationally symmetrical and has an essentially conical cap 44 that covers the passages 40, which is disposed on a central holding section 46, in the example depicted, pin 47. This pin 47 extends through a mounting location 48 in the housing bottom 32, wherein the mounting location 48 is constituted as a regular cylindrical drill-hole. The mounting location 48 and the pin 47 are constituted without undercuts so that the pin 47 can easily be inserted into mounting location 48 and removed again from the same.

A holding element, in particular, a holding disk 50, is used to hold the valve body 42, in particular the pin 47, in position in the mounting location 48. The holding element or disk 50 is pressed into the intermediate space surrounded by the edge 34. The holding disk 50 is therefore slightly larger than the circumference of the intermediate space surrounded by the edge 34. The holding disk 50 also has passages 52 (see FIG. 4) through which air can be suctioned in the direction of suction space 16. To precisely fix the valve body 42 on the housing bottom 32, the holding disk 50 is pressed in until its central area is tightly seated against the valve body 42 opposite the pin 47 and consequently holds the pin 47 in the mounting location 48. Sufficient free space is provided between the slightly conical housing bottom 42 and the holding disk 50 to allow the cap 44 to swing out when the latter is lifted by the passages 40 when air is suctioned in.

Constitution of the valve housing 28 as an integral housing jacket 30 and housing bottom 32 permits the fast and simple assembly of the valve body 42, which does not latch into the housing bottom 32 and is only held in place by the holding disk 50 on the housing bottom 32. 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A vacuum pump or a vane cell pump, the pump comprising: a pump housing defining a suction space and having a pump housing passage, opening into the suction space; and a suction non-return valve configuration disposed in said pump housing passage, said valve configuration opening to an outside or into an external vacuum space, wherein said valve configuration comprises a suction non-return valve disposed in a pot-shaped valve housing having a housing bottom and a housing jacket, said housing bottom being integral with said housing jacket, wherein said housing bottom of said pot-shaped valve housing has an edge that extends said housing jacket beyond said housing bottom, said valve configuration further comprising a holding disk that is pressed into an intermediate space formed by said edge that protrudes beyond said housing bottom, wherein a valve body is disposed between said housing bottom and said holding disk.
 12. The vacuum pump of claim 11, wherein said housing bottom has a mounting location for a holding section of said valve body.
 13. The vacuum pump of claim 12, wherein said mounting location is constituted as an opening.
 14. The vacuum pump of claim 12, wherein said mounting location penetrates right through said housing bottom.
 15. The vacuum pump of claim 12, wherein said mounting location has a hollow cylindrical or a regular cylindrical cross-section.
 16. The vacuum pump of claim 12, wherein said mounting location is constituted without undercuts.
 17. The vacuum pump of claim 12, wherein said valve body comprises elastic, rubber-elastic, stainless steel or spring steel.
 18. The vacuum pump of claim 12, wherein said holding section is constituted in the shape of a pin or in the shape of a cylinder.
 19. The vacuum pump of claim 11, wherein said holding disk retains said holding section in said housing bottom.
 20. A suction non-return valve for the vacuum pump of claim
 11. 